Washington Nationals: Victor Robles lights up AFL
By Ron Juckett
The Washington Nationals phenom has impressed this year in Arizona. After a full season where he made the big club, Robles turns heads everywhere.
Washington Nationals top prospect Victor Robles is stealing his way through the Arizona Fall League.
The most valuable player in the AFL Fall Stars Game, Robles has stolen six bases in nine games for the Mesa Solar Sox. Mesa is the combined team of Washington, the Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Detroit Tigers and world champion Houston Astros.
Although he joined the team late after the Nats crashed out of the playoffs, Robles has had a major impact for Mesa. In limited action, his slash line of .241/.361/.483 takes a moment to catch your eye. He has two home runs and a double mixed with his seven hits.
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When you add six walks to his totals, Robles has reached base 13 times in 35 plate appearances. Keep in mind with those stolen bases he has not been caught stealing.
From his brief, but brilliant time with Washington at the end of 2017, the myth of Robles continues to grow by leaps and bounds. His minor-league season was tremendous while he flashed off his speed and leather with the Nats.
Earning a promotion to Double-A Harrisburg in July, Robles sparkled in his fourth season of pro baseball. His blazing speed accounted for eight triples and 27 stolen bases.
Some hitters struggle when they earn promotion to a higher level, but not Robles. In 37 games with the Harrisburg Senators, he slashed .324/.394/.489. His batting average jumped from .289 and the on-base percentage from .377 with Advanced-A Potomac.
His power in the desert is not a surprise. Robles slammed 10 home runs in 114 minor-league games this year, a career high. His 37 combined doubles is 20 higher than last year. With the big club, he hit a double and two triples in his 13-game cup of coffee.
As the 2017 started, Robles—already the top prospect in the Nats organization—ranked 13th overall in baseball by Baseball America, eighth by MLB.com Pipeline and seventh by Baseball Prospectus. Those rankings will climb heading into next year.
It is hard to believe Robles is not old enough to buy a drink yet. He turns 21 next May. To impress at this level at his age is rare.
Although Robles will get a crack at making the final roster coming out of West Palm Beach next spring, there is not a place for him to play every day. Chances are he starts the year in Triple-A Syracuse and earns his final promotion either via injury or pummeling International League pitching.
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His future is getting brighter.